Sacrificial animals sale picks up despite rain

With Eidul Azha just around the corner, trading activity gained momentum in cattle markets across provincial capital on Wednesday. However, scattered rain in different parts of the city caused inconvenience for both buyers and sellers as rainwater ponded in makeshift set-ups in the metropolis.

A survey of makeshift cattle markets in Valencia Town and Shahpur Kanjran showed that everywhere shoppers were trying to find a good bargain on sacrificial animals. Shoppers also complained about high prices of sacrificial animals as small animals such as goat and sheep were available between Rs30,000 to Rs55,000 depending on the weight, size and appearance of the animal.

Similarly, bull and cow prices were quoted between Rs100,000 and Rs170,000. Some exotic and well-build animals were also displayed for sale in cattle markets. These special animals had no fixed price range. Traders quote price while evaluating pocket and status of the customer. Generally, these animals were quoted between Rs100,000 to Rs130,000 for small animals and Rs300,000 to Rs500,000 for the big animal.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a citizen Ali Butt, a shopkeeper in Johar Town, said though the market was high as compared to the previous year a small adjustment in budget or little compromise in demand solves the problem.

“Every year citizens complain about high prices but you will hardly find a person who would say he cannot find animal under his budget,” he maintained.

Butt highlighted that though traders were demanding Rs40,000 to Rs50,000 for a goat he successfully locked the deal at Rs35,000. “My friends and cousins also found animals under their budget,” he added.

Traders, on the other hand, also expressed satisfaction as sales picked up in cattle markets. Muhammad Rafiq, a trader, who brought animals from Kasur, highlighted that he had been waiting for the customers for the past four days but around 60% of his stock sold in the past two days. Though the business community and traders were complaining about smart lockdown ahead of the Eid but livestock farmers and cattle traders in makeshift cattle markets were happy over the closure of city markets. It helped cattle traders to make quick sales as people were free from their other work and business responsibilities.

Illegal sale points removed

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) removed dozens of illegal sale points for sacrificial animals from different areas of the provincial metropolis.

The MCL teams, headed by Metropolitan Officer Zubair Ahmed Wattoo, visited various areas of the city and took action against illegal sale points of sacrificial animals in Samanabad Zone, Data Ganj Bakhsh Zone, Gulbreg Zone, Nashtar Zone, Allama Iqbal Zone, Shalamar Zone, Wahga Zone, Ravi Zone and Aziz Bhatti Zone. The MCL teams imposed over Rs60,000 fine on violators and impounded over 100 animals being sold illegally in urban areas.

Meanwhile, Provincial Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said the decision to impose smart lockdown on the eve of Eidul Azha was made under compulsion. The basic motive beyond this decision was to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. He appealed to the citizens to follow coronavirus safety SOPs while visiting cattle markets and avoid overcrowding. He said everyone had to extend cooperation and show responsibility to curtail the spread of coronavirus from the country.

Commenting over trading community complaints, he underlined that the assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners concerned would deal with the traders regarding the implementation of smart lockdown policy and police would not bother business community. The minister highlighted that directives in this regard have been issued to all the departments concerned. He was speaking to a delegation of the PTI traders’ wing.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2020.